Abstract: A method, device and application for combining one or more multimedia content sources (e.g., songs) together and rendering the composite output to a user in a user sensible format that is audibly pleasing to the user through a player. A first multimedia content source and a second multimedia content source is selected. An analysis is made of the sources to find at least one candidate from each source to mix together. At least one candidate from each source is selected. The beat length associated with each the selected candidate is set and adjusted, if necessary. A fade mixing profile is selected. The fade mix profile adjusts a volume parameter associated with the selected candidate from each source over a transition period of time. The selected candidate from each source together is mixed according to the fade mixing profile to transition over the transition period time between the first multimedia content source and the second multimedia content source to form a beat mix transition.

Abstract: A method for interpreting an image into sound is provided and includes scanning an image to provide a plurality of scanned elements which are assigned a value and an associated sound element. The sound elements are arranged to produce a sound track for the scanned image.

Abstract: In a portable multimedia device, a method, apparatus, and system for providing user supplied configuration data are described. In one embodiment, a hierarchically ordered graphical user interface are provided. A first order, or home, interface provides a highest order of user selectable items each of which, when selected, results in an automatic transition to a lower order user interface associated with the selected item. In one of the described embodiments, the lower order interface includes other user selectable items associated with the previously selected item from the higher order user interface.

Abstract: An equalizer/mixer receives an input signal from a musical source and equalizes the input signal based on the musical source using equalization parameters associated with the musical source. User-adjustable equalization controls may be applied where the equalization parameters defining the controls are associated with the musical source.

Abstract: The game apparatus stores music data which indicates at least a pitch of each of sounds which form a melody of a predetermined piece of music and an output timing to output each of the sounds. The game apparatus sequentially detects, among the sounds included in the music data, a target sound which is a sound an output timing of which comes after start of playing by the music data. In the case where a first input is performed when or after the output timing of the target sound comes, the game apparatus outputs the target sound. On the other hand, in the case where a second or later input is performed after the output timing of the target sound comes, the game apparatus determines a pitch of an ad-lib sound, and outputs the ad-lib sound at the determined pitch.

Abstract: A musical sonification system and method sonifies data, such as real-time financial market data, to produce an audio signal output including a musical rendering of the data. A sonification engine converts the data into sound parameters based on configuration data and a sonification and mapping scheme. A sound generator generates the audio output signal from the sound parameters.

Abstract: An operational information obtaining section of a music reproduction device obtains operational information which corresponds to a user's operation and represents an instruction on an action of a reproduction section for reproducing data of a musical composition. A selection condition calculation section changes, during the musical composition being reproduced by the reproduction section, relative merits of attribute information relating to the data of the musical composition in accordance with details of the operational information obtained by the operational information obtaining section, and then calculates, based on the relative merits of the attribute information, a condition for selecting the data of the musical composition to be reproduced by the reproduction section.

Abstract: Fuel battery generates electric power using a predetermined fuel, and activation and deactivation of the electric power generation can be controlled in accordance with whether or not the fuel should be supplied to the fuel battery. The electric power is supplied to individual circuits/devices of a tone generation section, so that a tone is generated by any of the circuits/devices operating in response to operation of a performance operator unit. The circuits/devices are allowed to electrically operate for a long time with the electric power supplied by the fuel battery. In this way, an electronic musical instrument using the fuel battery can operate for a long time as compared to the conventional electronic musical instruments using a dry battery or storage battery (secondary battery).

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus and method is disclosed by which a feature value of an audio signal such as the tempo can be detected with a high degree of accuracy. A level calculation section produces a level signal representative of a transition of the level of an audio signal. A frequency analysis section frequency analyzes the level signal. A feature value extraction section determines a tempo, a speed feeling and a tempo fluctuation of the audio signal based on a result of the frequency analysis of the level signal. The invention can be applied to an apparatus which determines, for example, a tempo from an audio signal.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument, which can easily select waveform data assigned to each key or each key range of a keyboard, is provided. When assignment of waveform data to a key range including one or more keys of a keyboard is edited, the assignment state of the waveform data is displayed, and a mode setting operation of an operating unit is allowed in response to display of the assignment state of the waveform data. Waveform selection mode is set in response to operation of the operating unit by the user. When a key of the keyboard is operated in waveform selection mode, waveform data assigned to the operated key is selected, and an assignment state of the selected waveform data is allowed to be editable.

Abstract: This system serves as one musical instrument by interconnecting a plurality of musical apparatuses EMa through EMf via an expandable communication connecting portion such as USB networks CB and UH. The respective musical apparatuses EMa through EMf have their own apparatus information. For the host musical apparatus EMa, a plurality of path rule information sets which are associated with a plurality of possible statuses where apparatuses are interconnected on a USB network and each of which specifies a path along which music data is transferred among the musical apparatuses are provided. Once the musical apparatuses EMb through EMf are connected to the USB network, the host musical apparatus EMa creates an actual connection pattern Pa1 representative of an actual apparatus connection status in accordance with the apparatus information of the apparatuses EMa through EMf.

Abstract: A piano roll score, a word input/edit area and a word continuous display area are displayed. Note bars corresponding to notes of a melody are displayed on the piano roll score. The word input/edit area is divided into input cells having a length corresponding to a tempo number of each note. A pointer is moved to the input cell and a mouse is left-clicked to display an editor area. A letter(s) or character(s) is input by using a word processor function. The pointer is moved to the input cell and the mouse is right-clicked to display a command select box. A display command is selected from the command select box and input, the display command controlling a display style of a song-word character train in the word continuous display area. A dictionary database is used to search a song word by using the number of syllables and a part of speech as search keys. A sentence syntax is selected by using a sentence syntax template.

Abstract: Acceleration data outputted from an acceleration sensor provided in an input device is acquired and a magnitude of an acceleration is calculated. Next, based on the calculated magnitude of the acceleration, at least one piece of track data representing a target music to play is selected from music piece data including a plurality of pieces of track data stored in memory means. Then, based on the selected track data, data for controlling a sound generated from a sound generation device is outputted.

Abstract: An RF tag having stored therein equipment setting information related to a performance, by an electronic musical instrument, of a given music piece is attached to a music-piece-related information having music-piece-related information of the given music piece presented thereon. Electronic musical instrument includes an information acquisition information that communicates with the RF tag to acquire the equipment setting information from the tag, and an automatic setting section that automatically sets various settings and states of the musical instrument in accordance with the acquired equipment setting information. The musical instrument may further include a trigger section that triggers the acquisition section to acquire the equipment setting information from the RF tag. When the acquisition section has acquired new equipment setting information in response to triggering by the trigger section, states of the electronic musical instrument are set in accordance with the new equipment setting information.

Abstract: The electronic musical system comprises a keyboard that has a plurality of keys to designate the pitch, a key operation detector for detecting the operating state of the keyboard, set operator that can switch to the parameter setting state, parameter value input port to input the parameter values, pressed key count detector to detect the number of pressed keys, parameter setting program for setting the parameter value according to the pressed keys detected by the key operation detector. If one key being pressed is detected, then the parameter values are set to the value of the pressed key. If, however, multiple keys being pressed are detected, then the parameter values are set to the value of the multiple pressed keys and parameter output port outputs the parameter values that were set by the parameter setting program. The electronic musical instrument allows the user to intuitively set the parameter values with a effortless operation.

Abstract: Composite music file is composed of a content section including a plurality of types of music content, and a header section including content type information of the plurality of types of music content. At least the content type information included in the header section is in a non-encrypted form. Once a composite music file is input, the content type information is read out from the header section of the input composite music file, and one usable music software is selected, on the basis of the content type information, from among a plurality of types of music software capable of reproducing the plurality of types of music content, so that the thus-selected music software is automatically started up.

Abstract: A method for processing and playing music. The method includes providing a computing system, an input device, and a display. The method provides a selected music composition in a sequence of music notes. A user input is provided at a selected time as the selected music composition is animated on the display. The user input is processed by the computing system and output a sound. A timing accuracy of the user input is also being determined. The method can be adapted to any digital apparatus that provides a display, a sound output, a user input device, and a data processing device.

Abstract: In an image controlling apparatus, an image data input from an image reproducing device 14 to a motion picture recording unit 71 is stored in a RAM 72 by making the image data corresponding to an event by a pad operation in a recording mode RM. Also, in a play mode PM, a data reading unit 73 selectively reads the image data from the RAM 72 in accordance with an event by a pad operation. In an external controlling mode, an image data is selectively read from the RAM 72 in accordance with detection of an event from an external input signal. An image controlling unit 74 generates an image signal in accordance with the read image data, adds an image effect, synthesizes with a real time image signal from the image reproducing device 14, and displays a corresponding image on an image display 15.

Abstract: According to which a damper is operated before or after keying, one of two resonances is generated. A second waveform storage 18 storing original waveform data of a first resonance based on a music sound including an impact sound of keying according to a before-key-pressing pedaling, and a third waveform storage 19 storing original waveform data of a second resonance based on a music sound which does not include an impact sound of keying according to an after-key-pressing pedaling, are provided. A switch 20 is switched according to the state of the pedal at the time of key pressing to supply selected resonance waveform data to a resonance generating unit 16. The resonance signal outputted from the resonance generating unit 16 and a music sound signal of a direct sound of keying are added by an adder 24 and inputted into a sound system.

Abstract: A servo controller of an automatic player piano normalizes an actual key position to a value less than a reference value indicative of a target stop on a reference trajectory when the key is found in a region immediately before the target stop and to another value greater than the reference value when the key exceeds the target stop, and adjusts a driving signal to a proper value in such a manner that a solenoid-operated key actuator minimizes the difference between the value or another value and the reference value, whereby the servo controller keeps the key in a narrow region on both sides of the target stop for reproducing stop-and-go key motion.

Abstract: Respective waveform data on pad strike sounds, rim strike sounds, and rim-shot sounds are stored in a waveform memory, and when a CPU detects a strike detection signal outputted by either of a pad sensor, and a rim sensor, provided in a head unit, a musical tone generating controller reads out waveform data on an strike sound corresponding to the strike detection signal from the waveform memory, thereby generating a musical tone signal corresponding thereto before outputting. Thereafter, when the CPU detects a strike detection signal outputted by the other of the pad sensor, and the rim sensor within a predetermined time, waveform data on a rim-shot sound are read out from the waveform data memory, thereby generating a musical tone signal corresponding thereto before outputting. A sound output unit produces electronic strike sounds corresponding to those musical tone signals, respectively.

Abstract: An electronic percussion instrument that allows for a performance sensation that is similar to that of an acoustic HiHat cymbal. A sliding mechanism of a top cymbal pad section and a bottom cymbal pad section of an electronic HiHat cymbal where the top cymbal pad section and the bottom cymbal pad section are both fixed so that they can swing together when the top cymbal pad section is struck. Even when the first cymbal pad is struck and swings coming into contact with the second cymbal pad, the gliding contact between the first pad and the second pad is carried out smoothly and allows for a natural striking sensation comparable to that of an acoustic HiHat cymbal.

Abstract: A musical sonification system and method sonifies data, such as real-time financial market data, to produce an audio signal output including a musical rendering of the data. A sonification engine converts the data into sound parameters based on configuration data and a sonification and mapping scheme. A sound generator generates the audio output signal from the sound parameters.

Abstract: An electronic stringed instrument is provided where the value of a pitch that has been currently detected and the value of a pitch that has been stored are compared. A determination is made as to whether or not the pitch has dropped roughly a half tone. In those cases where the currently detected pitch has dropped roughly a half tone from the pitch detected a specified period earlier, a tone generator begins the attenuation of a musical tone that is generated and the note height of the musical tone is controlled so that the note height does not change.

Abstract: An interactive voice response method and system comprising a VoiceXML browser for processing an interaction with a user. A music score (for example a MIDI file) describing background music for playing during the interaction, and a music synthesizer for generating background music from the music score and from acoustic parameters are included. Acoustic parameters are generated whereby the music synthesizer may be controlled independently of the music score to change the audio environment during an interaction.

Abstract: Flow velocity sensor and a length sensor are provided on or near an edge of the lip plate which the air jet from the embouchure hole impinges against. Jet flow velocity Ue at the edge and a jet-blowout-outlet-to-edge distance d are detected by the sensors. Jet transfer time ?e is calculated by an equation of ?e=d/Ue, and a jet traveling angle ?e? is calculated by an equation of ?e?=2?fso1×?e (where fso1 represents a frequency of a tone to be generated). When ?e? has decreased to ?/2 during tone generation in a primary mode, the mode changes to a secondary mode to raise the pitch of the currently generated tone by one octave. When ?e? has increased to 3?/4 during tone generation in the secondary mode, the mode changes to the primary mode to lower the pitch of the currently generated tone by one octave.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of displaying directories differently based on attributes of files included therein. The present method examines a directory structure and the attributes of data files recorded on a recording medium, generates a mark for visually differentiating directories including at least one file of a pre-specified attribute, based on the examined attribute information, and displays a generated mark with the examined directory structure information. Owing to the present invention, a user can recognize directories including at least one file having a desired attribute at a glance, therefore, reproduction, selection, or copy for a file having a desirable attribute can be conducted very quickly.

Abstract: A simulated musical instrument may be used to alter the audio of a video game, the video aspects of video game, or both. Use of a controller simulating a musical instrument allows a rhythm-action game can be enjoyed in a manner closer to a realistic state of playing an instrument.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes, in one aspect, a signal processor having circuitry configured to substitute an assortment of pre-recorded sounds in place of the sound of the guitar. The pre-recorded sounds are triggered by a guitar note that is above a certain threshold. The threshold can be varied, as can the length of time of the substitution.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a musical piece extraction program stored in a computer-readable storage medium, the program causing a computer to perform a process including the steps of, detecting a musical piece likeliness of each of pieces of processing-unit data that constitute input audio data, based on a result of the detection of the musical piece likeliness, identifying a musical piece candidate section within the audio data, based on the musical piece candidate section and musical piece information acquired from an external server, determining a musical piece section within the audio data, and recording the musical piece information onto a recording medium so as to be associated with the musical piece section.

Abstract: An apparatus for the production of sound includes a a ball that includes an impact sensor that is activated by a deceleration such as impact of the ball upon a floor and upon activation of the impact sensor, an output signal is transmitted to a receiver and wherein the output signal includes information the impact such as the timing and rate of deceleration, and wherein the receiver acts as both a radio frequency receiver and also as a musical synthesizer that is programmable to respond to the first radio frequency signal to produce an amplified first synthesized sound that is output through a speaker that is either attached to the receiver or locate remotely with respect thereto, and wherein the process can include multiple balls producing multiple simultaneous sounds to replicate an orchestra or composite performance when more than one person is bouncing a ball on the floor. There is also an acoustic or acoustic electronic version of the ball described.

Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument, when a musical tone delay time T1 read from a delay time table TBL depending on a velocity generated by a key being pressed has elapsed, a hammer string-striking sound is generated from musical tone waveform data selected in correspondence with the velocity. At the same time, when an impact delay time T2 read from the delay time table depending on the velocity has elapsed, a shelf board impulsive sound is generated from impact waveform data. The generated hammer string-striking sound and shelf board impulsive sound are added and outputted. As a result, a relationship between the shelf board impulsive sound and the hammer string-striking sound is simulated, and tone variations of an acoustic piano are reproduced.

Abstract: As the user executes a performance on a preliminary or trial basis, performance data based on the user's performance are evaluated, a performance tendency of the user is extracted as a result of the extraction, and then, performance tendency information, indicative of the extracted performance tendency, is generated. Psychological state, such as a mood or feeling, of the user is detected from the performance tendency, and feeling information, indicative of the detected psychological state, is generated. Then, tone color control information corresponding to the generated feeling information is acquired from a storage section, such as a “mood/feeling” vs. tone color control” correspondence table, the acquired tone color control information is delivered to a tone generator, and desired tone color parameters are set on the basis of the tone color control information.

Abstract: In a tone output device 100, an oscillator 102 outputs a clock 141 that is emitted by a crystal resonator. A multiplication circuit 103 outputs a clock 142 that is generated by multiplying the clock 141. A timing control circuit 104 outputs a timing signal 150 generated based on the clock 142 for operations of a CPU 105. The CPU 105 operates in sync with the timing signal 150. The DA converter 115 operates in sync with a signal generated based on the clock 141. The timing adjustment circuit 114 detects deviation of the clock 142 from the clock 141 resulting from frequency jitter of the clock 142, and prevents occurrence of clock racing.

Abstract: A music data modifier receives pieces of original music data from a master hybrid piano, and partially modifies the pieces of original music data to pieces of modified music data for a slave hybrid piano; each piece of original music data contains a series of values of a piece of motion data expressing continuous motion of the associated key, a series of values of a piece of time data expressing each expressing a time to obtain the associated value of the motion data and a piece of identification code expressing the key number assigned to the key; even if the music data modifier changes the piece of identification data from the key number to another key number, the piece of motion data still expresses the continuous motion of the key so that the slave hybrid piano exactly reproduce the key motion.

Abstract: In an access controller provided for a musical sound signal generating system, a signal generating section operates when a readout of wave data of one block stored in a working memory is completed in a sound channel, for supplying a next waveform request signal to a CPU, which requests a next block of the wave data for the sound channel. First and second buffer memories are connected between a recording medium and the working memory respectively through first and second buses which are independent from each other. A first transmitting section operates when receiving block specifying information from the CPU, which specifies a block to be read next from the recording medium, for transmitting the wave data of the specified block to either of the first or second buffer memory while reading the specified block of the wave data from the recording medium.

Abstract: A microprocessor-controlled data-processing system is used to process key strokes from a musical keyboard and output a series of note events (e.g., via midi) to a tone-producing device. The microprocessor runs software which splits the keyboard into at least two zones: A root-select zone which consists of at least one octave of keys, and a strum-trigger zone. Pre-determined notes lists, or chords, are stored in an array in the system's memory. The array classifies the note lists according to (1) chord root (C, C#, D, etc.), and (2) chord type (e.g., major, minor, etc.). Different keys within the strum-trigger zone are pre-assigned to different chord types. Depression of a strum-trigger key as a root-select key is depressed causes the data-processing system to (1) select one of the note lists, and (2) output an arpeggio of the notes contained within the selected list.

Abstract: A self-calibrating key sensor system is constituted by an optical modulator, optical position transducers, a data accumulator and a data analyzer, and the optical modulator has a gray scale section to produce a key position signal varied together with the keystroke and an absolute data section to produce a calibration signal representative of a strictly adjusted distance between transparent areas of the absolute data section; the data accumulator accumulates discrete values of the calibration signal and discrete values of the key position signal together with the sampling time, and the data analyzer determines the gradient of the key position signal on the basis of peaks of the calibration signal produced at both ends of the strictly adjusted distance so as to estimate the true distance between the rest and end positions.

Abstract: A keyboard provides an analog sound signal for a sound producing device. The keyboard includes an interface circuit that couples the keyboard to a digital sound source through a universal serial bus (USB) cable. The keyboard further includes an audio rendering circuit that receives digital sound samples from the interface circuit and converts the digital sound samples to an analog sound signal and a connector coupled to the audio rendering circuit that is configured to couple the analog sound signal to a sound producing device.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for characterizing the timbre of a time-varying sound signal s(t) using at least one descriptor, where the at least one descriptor includes a harmonic spectral spread of the sound signal s(t). The sound signal s(t) may be compared to other sound signals using the at least one descriptor. The at least one descriptor may also include a harmonic spectral deviation of the sound signal s(t).

Abstract: A music ensemble system that enables changing the assignment of playing parts to performance terminals with a simpler operation. The music ensemble system comprising a plurality of performance terminals and a controller capable of communicating with the performance terminals to control playing of the performance terminals. Each of the performance terminals comprises a playing operation unit adapted to receive a player's playing operation and generates operation information, a terminal communication unit adapted to communicate with the controller to transmit the operation information to the controller, and a tone generator adapted to produce musical sounds based on sound instruction data received by the terminal communication unit.

Abstract: “Method and apparatus entraining interactive media players into a sustained experience of “Kinesthetic Spatial Sync,” defined as a perceived simultaneity and spatial superposition between a non-tactile, full body (“free-space”) input control process and immersive multisensory feedback. Asynchronous player input actions and (MIDI tempo) clock-synchronous media feedback events exhibit a seamless synesthesia1 or multisensory events fused into an integral event perception, this being between musical sound (hearing), visual responses (sight), and body kinesthetic (radial extension, angular position, height, speed, timing, and precision). This non-tactile interface process and multisensory feedback “look and feel” is embodied as an optimal ergonomic human interface for interactive music and as a six-degrees-of-freedom full-body-interactive immersive media controller.

Abstract: A music content playback apparatus includes: a selection section that selects a piece of music content out of a plurality of pieces of music content; a recognition section that recognizes playback elapse state about a previous piece of music content played immediately before the piece of music content is selected; and a playback section that plays back the selected piece of music content from a playback point corresponding to the playback elapse state.

Abstract: An electronic percussion instrument includes input means, comparison means, and musical tone generation control means. The input means allows for the input of a vibration of a head section and a vibration of a rim section that have been detected by a striking detection section. The comparison means allows for a comparison of a size of the vibration of the head section and a size of the vibration of the rim section. The musical tone generation control means allows for controlling a generation of a musical tone based on a result of a comparison by the comparison means such that the musical tone corresponds either to the vibration of the head section or to the vibration of the rim section. In those cases where the musical tone corresponds to the vibration of the rim section, the generation of the musical tone can be further controlled.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to assignment of fingering for performance of a musical piece. In one example, a processor of an electronic system receives a file having data relating to at least one musical piece. The processor parses the file and assigns keys to occurrences of notes within the musical piece. In certain embodiments, the key-to-note assignments are based on predetermined factors, such as common patterns of learned fingering and a user typing proficiency level, and/or predetermined assignment rules, such as physical or spatial limitations with respect to the user's fingers and the keys of the keyboard. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention allow for different keys to be assigned to different occurrences of the same note or allow for a single key to be assigned to multiple notes, such as a chord, or to different notes occurring at different points in the musical piece.

Abstract: The present invention teaches a machine and process that generates music given a set of simple user-specified criteria. The present invention enables music generation wherein a user may specify the duration and tempo of the music to be generated that may then be played or stored for retrieval and use at a later time and does not require the user to be a skilled composer of music. The present invention allows the user to generate music in a very short period of time wherein the music generated by also has beginnings and endings that occur in a manner that is esthetically appropriate. In addition, transitions within the generated music occur in a manner that is esthetically appropriate. Music generated by the present invention also has unique qualities that are desirable to users that use music in their own products or works.

Abstract: A mobile device (160) and method (300) for generating wind instrument sounds is provided. The mobile device can include a microphone (102) for capturing an air turbulence in response to a blowing action, a keypad (104) for selecting a virtual valve to associate with the air turbulence, a synthesis engine (106) for synthesizing a musical note in response to the blowing and the virtual valve, and an audio speaker (108) for playing the musical note. One or more keys of the keypad can be depressed during the blowing action on the microphone for synthesizing a musical note of a wind instrument. A display (110) can present a musical notation (800) and a fingering chart (810) for musical notes.

Abstract: Black/white keys are selectively moved by key actuators energized with a driving signal in a playback mode, and plunger sensors, which are provided inside of the key actuators, report the measured values of the keystroke to a motion controlling section; since the measured values contain error due to the deformation of the keys, the motion controlling section estimates true values or estimated values of the keystroke by dividing the sum of products between the measured values and weighting factors by a normalizing constant, and compares the estimated values with target values to see whether or not the keys exactly travel on reference trajectories; if the answer is negative, the motion controlling section varies the duty ratio of the driving signal so as to accelerate or decelerate the keys.

Abstract: There are provided a first storage section that stores text files each including at least text data, and a second storage section that stores registration data including predetermined performance environment setting information and text file selection information specifying a text file associated with a performance environment set on the basis of the performance environment setting information. Registration data is selected from the second storage section, and the text file associated with the performance environment is selected, in accordance with the text file selection information of the selected registration data, from among the text files stored in the first storage section. The text data included in the selected text file is displayed on the basis of the selected text file. In an alternative, control is performed to display lyrics data included in currently-reproduced automatic performance data or text data included in the text file stored in the first storage section.

Abstract: In order to precisely express motion of a key or motion of a hammer, a voice message for the polyphonic key pressure and another voice message for the control change, which stand idle in an automatic player piano, are used to express rough key position or rough hammer position and an offset from the rough key position or rough hammer position, and the offset is described at a high resolution on an ordinary trajectory between the rest position and the end position and at a low resolution outside of the ordinary trajectory; moreover, the numerical range expressed by the third byte of the voice message for the polyphonic key pressure is divided into two numerical sub-ranges respectively assigned to the keys and hammers so that only a few voice messages are required.